Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott) Con

The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-11567, in the name of Kenny MacAskill, on lowering the drink-drive limit.

The Cabinet Secretary for Justice (Kenny MacAskill) SNP

Members will be aware that the Scottish Government has long argued that a lower drink-drive limit will save lives and help to make Scotland’s roads safer. So...

Graeme Pearson (South Scotland) (Lab) Lab

I say at outset that Scottish Labour supports the motion. I will speak to the amendment from Scottish Labour. We have no reservations in our support for the...

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Lab

Does the member share my view that we should introduce a graduated driving licence scheme for young drivers? The member will know that the proposal is that n...

Graeme Pearson Lab

The member makes an important point, and I would support that proposal. I was at Stranraer academy yesterday and that very issue was raised out of the blue. ...

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con) Con

The Scottish Conservatives support initiatives to make Scotland’s roads safer. The pain, heartache and devastation that the victims—and their families—of dru...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Con

Excuse me, Ms Mitchell. Sandra White has a point of order.

Sandra White (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP) SNP

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. Could Margaret Mitchell please mention the motion and the amendment that she is speaking to? I have not heard anythin...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Con

Thank you for that request for a point of order, but it is not a point of order. The words that Margaret Mitchell chooses to use are a matter for her.

Margaret Mitchell Con

I suggest that Sandra White should listen carefully—she has obviously lost the thread of the argument. Those reports highlight perceived pressures on police...

Elaine Murray (Dumfriesshire) (Lab) Lab

Will the member take an intervention?

Margaret Mitchell Con

I will do in a minute, if Elaine Murray does not mind—I just want to complete this point. The SPA report identified evidence that “officers perceive a pres...

Elaine Murray Lab

Could Margaret Mitchell clarify the intention of her amendment? As I read it, the suggestion that the application of penalties for exceeding the drink-drivin...

Margaret Mitchell Con

I will come to that point specifically, if Elaine Murray will allow me to develop my argument. Furthermore, the cabinet secretary has emphasised—as does the...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Con

We move to the open debate. Speeches should be of four minutes, and there is time for interventions. 15:49

Dave Thompson (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP) SNP

I am delighted to be taking part in the debate because, as the Cabinet Secretary for Justice said, I have been campaigning to have the drink-driving limit re...

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab

I welcome the opportunity to speak in the debate and voice my support for the lowering of the drink-driving limit. Sir Peter North’s report indicated that th...

Christian Allard (North East Scotland) (SNP) SNP

The recalibration of the breathalyser happened last year. It is very important because the power is reserved, and I think that it would be a great improvemen...

Dr Simpson Lab

I am in favour of that area being devolved appropriately so that we can cover all aspects. We already cover some of them. Do our Scottish courts have the po...

Sandra White (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP) SNP

I commend Dave Thompson for his tenacity and the work that he has carried out over the years to bring this change to fruition. I thank him very much for that...

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD) LD

The current drink-drive limit was set in 1965. Since then, I am glad to say, perceptions have changed. Public and scientific understanding of the risks has i...

Christian Allard (North East Scotland) (SNP) SNP

Drink driving has been a scourge on Scotland’s roads for too long, leading to completely unnecessary injuries and deaths, and devastating families and commun...

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Lab

As a veteran road safety campaigner, I very much welcome the debate this afternoon and, of course, I will be supporting the Scottish Government’s motion. I ...

Dave Thompson SNP

Does David Stewart agree that, to deal with the full range of issues, we need all the powers relating to the matter to be devolved to the Parliament?

David Stewart Lab

I welcome the work that Dave Thompson has done on drink driving. As Dr Richard Simpson mentioned, there are strong arguments for devolving day-to-day adminis...

Christine Grahame (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) SNP

I will address both amendments. The first one—Graeme Pearson’s—is absolutely fine and dandy. In fact, a great deal of the committee conversation and interrog...

Christine Grahame SNP

No, I have only four minutes. I want to support Margaret Mitchell’s amendment but she will need to clarify what it means, for goodness’ sake. The committee ...

Hanzala Malik (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab

Reducing the drink-drive limit is important, and I fully agree with the motion and the Labour Party’s amendment. The UK currently has the highest drink-driv...

Richard Lyle (Central Scotland) (SNP) SNP

As already stated, a drink-driving limit has been in place since 1965. Since then, social attitudes towards those who drink drive have changed; they have cha...

Margaret McCulloch (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab

Reducing the drink-drive limit will make Scotland’s roads safer. We all know that alcohol affects a driver’s judgment and reaction times, and that the risk o...